Door mechanism for railway cars



'April18,1933. w. E. WINE ETA; 1,904,023

DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY .CARS

Original Filed Dec. 10. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 18, 1933. w. E; WINE ET AL 7 DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Original Filed Dec. 10, 1925 Patented Apr. 18, 1933 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlC E Q f 1 WILLIAM E. WINE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AND BYE-RS W.. KADEL, OF BALTIMORE,

. MARYLAND :ooon MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY cans Application filed. December 10, 1925, Serial No. 74,4 6. Renewed ma 11, '1931.

This invention relates todoor mechanism of the latter, said brackets having portions for railway cars and is particularly suitable interposed between the stiffener and the'door for application to cars of thetwin hopper plate and secured thereto. L type although it is not limited to such an ap- Other features of the invention relating U 5 plication. The principal object of the into advantageous forms and combinations of vention is to provide efficient and reliable parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed operating means for simultaneously locking out in the claims. i in closed position the opposite edges of a In the drawings illustrating a preferred 1 hinged door for controlling the opening embodiment of'the invention, i 7 u 10 through which lading is discharged from the Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational car. 1 1 view of a portion of a hopper car equipped Generally stated, a primary feature of the with door supporting mechanism embodying invention consists in combining with a hinged the invention. 7 a door for closing the discharge opening of the Figure-2 is a detail end elev tion of the a o car, a latch bar which is pivotally mounted construction. between its ends upon the door and extends Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the beyond the opposite'edges of the latter so as line 33, Fig. 2. r to be capable of door supporting cooperation Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the with shouldered brackets mounted on the car line 4-4, Fig. 5.

body at opposite sides of the door, at least Figure 5 is a detail vertical section taken one of the brackets being formed with aninon the line 5-5, Fig. 2. I cline adapted to cooperate with the latch bar The drawings illustrate the hopper and to force the door toward closed position and door mechanism construction on one side of v being provided in advance of theincline'with the car center sills, but'it will be understood means for cooperating with the latch bar to that the hopper and door securing devices on 75 prevent the opposite end of the latter from theopposite side of thecar are or may be moving toward door supporting position unsimilar. 7 y til both ends of the latch bar are capable The hopper portion of the car body is of assuming door supporting relation with formed with an outer side sheet '1' and an the cooperating brackets carried by the car inner side sheet 2, the outer sheet customarily body. 1 v being inclined and the inner sheet vertical.-

' Another feature of the invention consists These side sheets are connected by a slope in providing the hinged door with a pivotally sheet 3 formingthe' bottom of the hopper. mounted latch bar whose ends project beyond The outer side sheet 1 is preferably offset 7 the opposite edges of the door, and in interand provided with a marginal flange, as 85 posing between the latch bar and the door a shown at 4, to form a seat and sealingflange stiffening member which affords a supportpreventing the escape of fine lading. ing bearing for the bar extending in the di- 7 The door 5 for closing the discharge openrection of length which the latter assumes ing of the hopper is preferably formed from when in door supporting position, brackets a metallic'sheet shaped to provide marginal being secured to the car body on opposite flanges as shown. The usual hinge devices 6 sides of the door forv cooperating with the maybe employed for mounting thedoor upon latch bar to maintain the door in closed pothe car body so as to permitit to'swing to sition. i i Y open position under the influence of gravity.

* A further feature consists in interposing Rigidly mounted upon the outer face of the a door stiffener between the door "and the latch door and extending parallel to the free'edge bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon of the latter remote from thehinge'axis is. the door, and in combining therewitha plua door stiffener member? of somewhat less rality of guide'br'ackets for the latch bar dislength than the width of the door. The

posed upon opposite-sides ofthe pivotal axis. stiffener is preferably fashioned as a channel I member having marginal flanges 8 which contact the door plate and are secured thereto by means of rivets 9. Pivotally mounted upon the door is a latch bar 10 whose opposite ends project beyond the side edges of the door and beyond/the neighboring side sheets of the hopper so as to cooperate with brackets 11 and 12 respectively secured to said sheets. The pivotal axisof the latch bar preferably is positioned so as to divide the bar into segments of unequal length, the portion of the bar extending from the pivotal point to thebracket'll mounted upon the outer side sheet 1 preferably being ap proximately one half the length of the portionof the latch bar between the pivotal point and the bracket 12 mounted upon the inner hopper side sheet 2.v The latch bar may be conveniently mounted upon a pivot bolt 13 which'passes through the outstanding central portion of the door stiffener 7 and through a pivot strap or yoke 14 secured to the outer face of the latter, the central portions of the stiffener and pivot yoke being spaced to permit proper swinging of the latch bar; The shorter segment of the bar 10 is preferably fashioned with an enlarged portion 15, thus making it heavier than the longer segment in proportion to its length. By this means the weight of the longer segment maybe counteracted in a convenient manner to the desired extent, thereby facili ta-ting operation of the mechanism. Vhen the outer end of the latch bar is intended to swing downwardly under the influence of gravity, as is preferrechso as automatically to come into locking engagement with the outer bracket 11, the'pivot bolt13 will be so disposed lengthwise of the locking bar 10 and the weight of the two segments of the bar will be so regulated as to eifect the desired result.

For the purpose of guiding the latch bar 10 and to limit the extent. of its swinging movements, as well as to prevent accidental bending of the bar which would interfere with its cooperation with the locking brackets 11 and 12 mounted upon the sides of the hopper, a'plurality of guide brackets 16 and 17, respectively, are secured to the door at the opposite ends of the door stifi'ener 7. Each of the guide brackets may advantageously beformed from a section of angle iron, one flange thereof being interposed be tween the stiffener 7 and the door and the other flange projecting outwardly from the door andjbeing slotted to receive the neighboring segment of the latch bar 10. As the segments of the latch" bar areof unequal,

'vided. Each of the locking brackets 11 and 12,. respectively mounted upon the sides of the hopper is formed with a locking shoulder adapted to cooperate with the adj acent end-of the latch bar to retain the door in closed position, the shoulder 22 on the outer bracketllbeing formed by an upwardly extending portion of the latter and the shoulder, 23. upon thei-nner bracket 12 being formed by a downwardly extending portion of'this bracket. Each of these locking brackets is also fashioned at its outer end withan incline designed to engage and actuate the latch bar when the door is swung to closed position so as to cause the bar to rotate in a direction permitting it subsequently to assume door:supporting relation with the cooperating shoulders. 22 and 23 of the brackets. These inclines, 2 1- and 25, respectively, extend at an angle to each other, thus causing the arms of the latch bar on opposite sides of the pivot 13 to perform an unlocking rotation when the door is swung toward the hopper. The inner locking bracket 12 is provided on its under side. with an additional inclined face 26 which slopes toward the latch .bar engaging shoulder 23, thus constit'uting means for. cooperating with the longer arm' of the bar to force the door toe ward closed-position in'the event that it is sprung or warped. In advance of the incline 26. the inner locking bracket 12 is formed with a downwardly facing shoulder 27 substantially normal to the plane of the locking shoulder 23 or to the plane of the closed door extending forwardly to the sloping face 25 at the outer end of said bracket. This shoulder 27 serves as a stop for cooperating with the longer segment of the latch bar 10to prevent the shorter segment of the latter from moving into locking engagement with the shoulder 22 upon the outer bracket 11 until the inner edge of the door 2-has approached the hopper sufliciently to permit the longer arm of the latch bar to cooperate with the incline 26 so as to force the door to completely closed position when the shorter arm of the bar 10 is forced into locking engagement with the shoulder 22 upon the outer locking bracket.

supported in locked position at both sides of the hopper and not merely at the outer side. As is well understood by those familiar with this art, doors of this type frequently become warped and bent in service so that one side of the door stands at some distance from the discharge edgeof the hopper while the 'oppositeedge of the door is in closed position and, moreover, the inner edge of the door Means are thus provided for ensuring that the door shall be tends to lag behind'the outeredge as it is'to. this latter edge that force is usually applied for moving the door to closed position.

It will be perceived that this invention makes provision for the proper locking of the door at its opposite sides even though it may be warped or sprung. g

In order to make a removable pry bar available for forcing the door toward closed position at any time the use of such a bar may become necessary, the locking bracket 11 is preferably provided with an outwardly extending lug or flange 28 forming a pocket for receiving the end of the prying bar (not shown). By placing the lower end of the removablelever in the fulcrum pocket thus formed inthe outer bracket 11 and by then causing said lever to bear against the neighboring end of the pivoted latch bar 10, the trainman may conveniently apply power for forcing the door to a closed position permitting the latch bar to be moved to door supporting position. After the ends of the latch bar have properly engaged the shoulders 22 and 23 of the'locking brackets 11 and 12, respectively, the cam 21 may be forced into engagement with the latch bar so as to prevent the latter fro-m accidentally assuming a position permitting the door to open. r

Each of the brackets 11 and 12 secured to the side sheets of the hopper may advantageously be'cast as a base plate having outwardly projecting stiffening ribs or flanges,-

' the base plate of the bracketllcarried by the outer side sheet 1 having its portion which projecis beyond the discharge openingof the hopper disposed in avplane substantially parallelto the plane of swinging movement of the adjacent edge of the door, thus forming an acute angle with the portion ofthe base'plate overlying the side sheet 1. By this means the door is efficienily sup ported against undue lateral shifting.

e claim a v 1. Car door mechanism involving, in-combination with a door hinged to the car body so as to swing to open position under the influence of 'ravity, means for securing said door in closed position, said means includ ing a latch bar pivotally'mounted between its ends upon the door and extending be yond the oppositeedges of the latter, and brackets secured to the carbody on opposite sides ofthe door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in'closed position, the segments of said lach bar on opposite. sides of its pivot being of unequal lengthand the shorter segment beingheavier in proportion to its length.

2. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hinged'to the car boc y, a latch bar pivotally mountedbetween its ends upon the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latterpa flanged door stiffener interposed between the latch' bar and the'door and provided with a portion spaced from and substantially parallel to the latter affording a supporting bearing for the bar, said stiffener being secured to the door and extending substantially par-' allel to the free edge thereof remote fro-m the hinge axis, and brackets secured to the v va pivoted latch bar carried by the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latter, a channel-shaped stiffener secured to the door and extending substantially parallel to'the free edge thereof remote from its hinge axis, the web of -the stiffener affording a supporting bearing for the bar when the latter is in door supporting position, means mounted on the car body at opposite sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, and means for preventing the bar from accidentally assuming a position permitting the door to open.

4. Car door mechanism involving, incombination with a door hinged to the ear body, a stiffener secured to the outer face of the door adjacent the free edge thereof remote from the hinge axis, said stiffener being of flanged form and having a portion spaced outwardly from the plane of the door, a latch bar pivo-tedbetween its ends and overlying said outwardly spaced portion ofv the stiffener and extending beyond the-opposite edges of the door, means mounted on the car body at opposite'sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, and means for preventing the bar from accidentally assuming a position permitting the door to open.

,5. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hinged to the car body, a latch bar pivotal'ly mounted" between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latter, and brackets secured to the car body on opposite'sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to'maintain the door in closed position,

each of said brackets being provided with a locking shoulder adapted tocooperate with the adjacent end of the latch bar to retain the door in closedpositio-n, said shoulders being'formed by portions of the respective brackets extending in opposite directions, each of said brackets having at its outer end an incline adapted to engage and actuate the latch bar when the door is swung toward closed position, and one of said bracketsbe ing provided with an additional incline adapted .to cooperate with saidlatch bar to 7 force the door towardclosed position when the bar is rotatedftoward door supporting.

position, the two inclines on said last named bracket-being separated by a stop shoulder which is adapted to engage the latch bar so as to prevent its opposite end from assuming locked position with respect to thelocking shoulder of the cooperating bracket while said bar is in engagement with said stop shoulder. a a

" .6. Car door mechanism involving, incombination with a door hinged to the car body, a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latter, and brackets secured to the car body on opposite sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door inclosed position, each of said brackets being provided with alocking shoulder adapted to cooperate with the adjacent end of the latch bar to retain the door in closed position, one of said brackets being provided with an incline for cooperating with the latch bar to force the door toward closed position when the bar is rotated toward door supporting position and also be ing provided in advance of said incline with means for cooperating with the latch bar to prevent the opposite end of the latter from moving toward door supporting position.

7. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hinged to the car body, a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latter, adoor stiffener interposed between the latch bar and the door, a: plurality of slotted guide brackets for cooperating with the latch bar on opposite sides of its pivotal axis, said guide brackets being interposed'between the stiffener and the door, and brackets secured to the car body on opposite sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position.

8. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hinged to the car body, a latch bar pivotally mounted'between its endsupon the door and extending beyond the opposite edges of the latter, a door stif ener interposed between the latch bar and the door, a plurality of guide brackets mounted on the door for cooperating with portions of the latch bar on opposite sides of the pivotal axis of the latter, and brackets secured to the car body on opposite sides of the door for cooperating w th the-latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, each of said guide brackets being provided with a plurality of flanges one of which is interposed between the stifilener and the door and one of which projects outwardly from the door and is slotted to receive the latch bar.

9. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with the door hinged to the car body, a latch bar pivotally mounted between its'ends upon the door and extending beyond theoppositeedges of the latter,and brackets secured to the car body on opposite sides of the door for cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, one of said brackets being provided with oppositely inclined portions, one of which-serves to cause the latch to rotate in an unlocking direction when the door is moved toward closed position and the other-of which serves to cooperate with the latch when the latter is actuated in a locking direction to force the door to closed position, said inclinedportions being separated by a portion substantially normal to the plane of movement of said latch. V v

10. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hingedto the car body, brackets-respectively secured to the car body adjacent the inner and outer side edges of the door, and a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the side edges of the latter, each of said brackets being provided with a locking shoulder adapted to cooperate with the i adjacent end of the latch to maintain the door in closed position, the bracket adjacent the inner edge of the door having a wedging faceinfadvance of and leading to its locking shoulder for cooperating with the latch bar to force the door toward closed position when the latch bar is rotated toward door supporting position, said inner bracket being also provided in advance of said wedging face with a portion substantially normal to the plane of its locking shoulder to prevent the outer end of the latch from moving into engagement with the locking shoulder of the outer bracket until the inner end of the latch bination with a door hinged to the car body,

brackets respectively secured to the car body adjacent the inner and outer side edges of the door, and a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the side edges of the latter, each of said brackets being provided with alocking shoulder adapted to cooperate with adj acent ends of the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, the bracket adjacent the inner end of the door being provided with oppositely inclined portions, one of said inclinesr being arranged to cause rotation of the latch in an unlocking direction when the door is moved toward closed posit-ion and the other of said inclines being adjacent the 'locking'shoulder of the bracket and cooperti ally normal to the plane of its locking shoul-' der to prevent movement of the outerend of the-latch into locking engagement with the shoulder of the outer bracket until the inner end of the latch is in position to engage the incline of the inner bracket adjacent the locking shoulder thereof.

12. Car door mechanism involving, in combination with a door hinged to the car body so as to swing to open position under the influence of gravity, a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door, and brackets respectively secured to the car body adj acent the inner and outer side edges of the door for respectively cooperating with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, the segments of said latch bar on opposite sides of its pivot being of unequal length and the longer segment being cooperable with the bracket adjacent the inner edge of the door.

13. In a railway car having a hopper provided with inner and outer side sheets respectively adjacent the center sill and one of the sides of the car, the combination with a door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, of mechanism for securing the door in closed position, said mechanism including a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends on the door and extending beyond the side edges of the latter, and brackets respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper for cooperating wlth the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, the segments of said latch bar on opposite sides of its pivot being of unequal length and the shorter segment being cooperable with the bracket secured to the outer side sheet of the hopper.

14. In a railway car having a hopper provided with inner and outer side sheets respectively adjacent the center sill and one of the sides of the car, the combination with a. door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, of mechanism for securing the door in closed position, said mechanism including brackets respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper, and a latch bar pivotally mounted between its ends upon the door and extending beyond the side edges of the latter, each of said brackets being provided with a locking shoulder adapted to cooperate with the adjacent end of the latch to maintain the door in closed position, the distance between the pivotal axis of the latch bar and the locking shoulder of the. bracket secured to the inner side sheet being greater than the distance between the pivotal axis of the latch and the locking shoulder of the bracket secured to the outer side sheet. I

15. In a car door arrangement, the combination with a door pivotally mounted on the car body; of shouldered members on the car adjacent the side edges of the door and adj acent the free edge of the door when in closed position; an oscillatable bar mounted on the door, said bar being co -operable with said shouldered members to lock the door in closed vided with inner and outer side sheets respectively adjacent the center sill and one of the sides ofthe car, the combination with a door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper,of mechanism for. securing V the door in closed position including a latch the door, and brackets respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper, each of said brackets being provided with a shoulder adapted to cooperate with bar pivotally mounted between its ends on said latch to maintain the door in closed position and the bracketsecured to the inner side sheet being provided with a wedging face in advance of and leading to the shoulder thereof for cooperating with the latch bar 'to force the door to closed position, the segments of said latch bar on opposite sides of its pivotbeing ofunequal length and the longer segment being cooperable with the bracket secured to the inner side sheet of the hopper.

17 In a railway carhaving a. hopper provided with inner and outer side sheets res oe-ctively adjacent the center sill and one of the sides of the car, the combination with a door for closing the lading discharge opening of the hopper, of mechanism for securing the door in closed position including a latch bar pivotally mounted between its endson the door, and brackets respectively secured to. the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper having shoulders adapted to cooperate with the latch bar to maintain the door in closed position, the segments of the latch on opposite sides of its pivot being of unequal length and the longer segment being cooperable with the bracket secured to the inner side sheet, the last-named bracket being provided with a wedging face in advance of and leading to its shoulder for cooperating with the. latch bar to force the door toward closed position and being also provided in advance of said wedging face with a portion substantially normal to the plane of the lading discharge opening for preventing the shorter segment of the latch bar from moving into engagement with the shoulder of the bracket cooperable therewith until the longer segment of the latch is in position to engage the wedging face of its cooperating bracket.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. I WILLIAM E. WINE.

BYERS w. KADEL. 

